'Maniarasan is recovering; Will be discharged today'

Thanjavur: Tamil Desiya Periyakkam president P Maniarasan who has been hospitalised after a brutal attack on Sunday night is recovering and will be dicharged soon, sources said today. Also, all the required medications have been given to the injured leader, it added.

Maniarasan (71) was attacked by two unidentified bike-borne assailants on Sunday night. The leader, who is known for his Tamil Nationalist ideas in his writings, was commuting on a two wheeler along with his friend to Thanjavur railway station to board the Chennai-bound Uzhavan Express when the incident happened.

In addition to attacking him, the assailants also stole his bag containing cash, ATM cards, PAN card, laptop and a mobile phone. The assailants were following Maniarasan for 2km before making the plunge. Based on CCTV footage from the New Bus Stand area, police have nabbed two persons under section 394 (voluntarily causing hurt in committing robbery) of the Indian Penal Code.

Opposition political parties condemned the attack on Maniarasan. CPI State secretary R Mutharasan, Tamilar Desiya Munnani president Pazha Nedumaran, Manithaneya Makkal Katchi chief MH Jawahirullah, SDPI State president Dehlan Baqavi demanded stringent action against the attackers and urged the State government to crack down on the anti-social elements trying to disturb the law and order situation.

Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami on Monday told the Assembly that three police teams had been formed to nab the culprits who attacked Maniarasan in Thanjavur on Sunday night. Responding to the issue raised by opposition leaders, the CM said two unidentified persons pushed Maniarasan who was travelling as a pillion rider to the railway station. Maniarasan suffered minor injuries, after which the duo fled, taking away Maniarasan’s belongings.

It is to be noted that this attack came at a time when Tamilaga Vazhvurimai Katchi leader T Velmurugan and six Makkal Adhikaram workers have been arrested under the stringent National Security Act. Also, the arrest of two Naam Tamilar Katchi cadres and the case filed against filmmaker Ameer over the comments he made during a television debate in Coimbatore are continuing to paint a different picture of the political happenings in Tamilnadu.